Whispers of Fire and Water
by Beacon
Summary: Zutara various drabbles of varying length and theme. Enjoy
1. Fire

An: Golly Gee, it's been a while. Most of my writing as of late has been short and sweet, and really didn't deserve to be posted as it's own story, so I decided it would be best to simply make a little anthology of Avatar drabbles so that I did have an excuse for posting . Anyway, enjoy. Hopefully I'll getting around to writing something longer soon… who knows when though.

Disclaimer: Avatar is not and never will be mine… But I do have a puppy, if that's worth anything.

Fire

Katara let her hands hover just above the candle, teasing the flame to come and burn her. It was cold, her body was numb and lips blue in the small shack, and for the moment, the candle was her only heat source. She didn't mind the licking warmth that spread across her hands, offering her stiff fingers some relief. A gust of wind screamed through the hovel and the candle sputtered dangerously. Katara couldn't help being reminded of Aang, of how the wind had always blown like that when he had been angry, hurt, when he felt betrayed. Did he still wonder why she had disappeared? Did he cry out in the middle of the night and call for her? Was he still angry?

Katara shrank from her thoughts, the darkness outside of the protection of the candle was overwhelming, consuming, threatening to drag her down, down into the swirling depths and drown her in her thoughts. The fire was all she had to hang onto now.

A creak of floorboards, and then arms wrapped around her cold body. The tears she hadn't released had escaped her eyes were wiped away gently from her cheeks, and soft, soothing whispers and kisses where pressed to her ear. Slowly, her body was warmed. Slowly the darkness receded, and she could think clearly. The candle sputtered once more and then went out, but Katara no longer cared. She was warm, she was safe, she was whole, as long as Zuko kept her from the ocean of her thoughts.


	2. Snow

An; Don't know about you guys but we've had about ten blizzards in the last month, and nearly a record snowfall for December. I love winter

Snow

The first flake landed softly at the young prince's feet, and Zuko looked up at the sky. Snow, it was snowing. It was not much at the moment, just a few flakes floating silently down from the sky, but it made Zuko smile. He had not seen snow since his banishment, since the first time he had met… Zuko pulled his jacket closer around his body, lowering his head and plowing forward. He would not think of her, he would not obsess over her smile, her eyes, her laugh, her voice. He would not think of her that way until he found her again. Until he could wrap her up in his arms, kiss her cheeks and mouth, tell her everything he had wanted to tell her before she had vanished.

The snow fell faster now, landing with a soft touch on Zuko's head and shoulders. The snow was like her fingers tapping him; it sparkled in the hazed light like her eyes before a fire, whispered gently as it fell as she had once whispered to him. If only he had seen… there were too many 'if onlys' for him to begin. If only he had not been afraid, if only he could have gone after her, if only he could have answered back with those three words…

His hands were numb, his feet hurt, his legs were too weak to hold him up, but Zuko kept going. It was only a few miles to a harbor, only a few days until the ship came, only a few weeks until the ship reached the South Pole, and yet it had been years, since Zuko had seen Katara, and he could not wait any longer.

The snowstorm became a blizzard.


	3. Freedom

Freedom

"I could give you everything." He whispers hotly in her ear. "When you come back to the Fire Nation, you'll have everything. Anything you want will be yours, I'll command it to happen."

Katara steps carefully away from the prince, and reaches up to gently stroke her hand over his cheek. "I know. But that's not why I love you."

Zuko looks down in confusion, trying to read her. "You don't want to be a princess, to have power?"

"Of course I do, every girl's dream is to fall in love with a prince, but I don't want that to be the reason I love you." She says as she moves back into his embrace. He enfolds her in his arms as he listens to her. "I don't want our life to be based on money or power or ordering people around. I want our love to be based on this," she throws her head back to look at the sky painted with colors. "On sunsets and sunrises and blue skies," Her eyes find his. "On hard work and pain and tears," she traces his lips. "On whispered promises and friendship and love," She kisses him. "On everything we've been through, and everything we will go through,"

He kisses her back, at a loss for words, because everything he's done until know has been for power. The endless striving and searching and the goddamn emptiness, all to gain the golden dishes and crowns and the beautiful songs of his country. And now, now that he's at his lowest, living with a bunch of runaways and peasants in an abandoned and forsaken nation's ruins, whole and happy, having the best time of his life and utterly despised by his country, he realizes that he doesn't want power anymore.

He doesn't want the nervous glances and quick, low bows and the regal silence of the courts that is underlined with tension and deceit. He wants this, the open air, the long days and nights filled with laughter and planning and love, the banter between the children of four nations united for the first time in one hundred years. Children, his head reels at the concept, children who adults always say don't understand war and peace, succeed in areas where adults have no hope. He wants Katara, strong and steady and fire and water all mixed into a dizzying solution that makes him drunk and powerful when he's lost everything, to stay with him always. He wants his freedom, realizes it's what he's wanted all along, and now that he has it, he's going to keep it.


	4. Denial

Denial

_With every day the heat grew worse and like the constant, climbing sun their bickering grew more intolerable. Toph, the least patient and certainly not the subtlest of the group, decided to address the problem directly. _

_"Will you two shut up! You two fight like an old married couple. Listen, if you want to get hitched, fine, at least then you could fight about where you would raise the baby!" Toph turned on her heel and marched away, satisfied her work was through._

_Katara and Zuko stood awkwardly for a moment, staring at one another, and then,_

_"She thinks we like each other 'cause you always follow me around!"_

_"Well I wouldn't follow you around if you would just give up your vendetta and accept me!"_

_"I don't have a vendetta, I just don't like you!"_

_"Why not? I'm a very likable person!"_

_"Says who, you're girlfriend?"_

_"Yes, actually, she does. Are you jealous?"_

_"That's absurd, why would I be jealous of the girl who you're with? You're the jealous one."_

_"Jealous of Aang? Thanks, but I like having hair, besides why would I ever want to be in love with you?"_

_"I don't know, you tell me."_

_Off, removed from the noise, Sokka and Toph grinned at each other._

_"You're a genius,"_

_"I know,"_

_"Seriously, any minute Zuko will be proclaiming his undying love for Katara, and then I will have ample reason for throwing him off a cliff."_

_Toph cocked her head to the side and sniggered. "May take them a while to get there though,"_

_"Eh, some people are so in denial," Sokka laughed, staring at his feet._

_"Tell me about it," Toph muttered, looking pointedly away._


	5. Three

Three

At first, they were three.

Well, really they had been two and one, in Aang's own humble opinion, but Katara had insisted that Zuko had proven himself worthy, and they were three. Katara could have said that there were no Air benders left, and Aang would have believed her. So they were three; three fighters, three travelers, three best friends. Sokka and Toph were there of course, but to Aang, they had always been two, lost in their own world of, whatever there was going on between them.

One did not intrude on the world of two; it was an unspoken rule, something established between the two and the rest, maybe even without Toph and Sokka's knowledge. But it was there, and respected, just as Toph and Sokka did not intrude upon the world of three, that was that.

At night, the three of them sat and talked, told jokes and old stories, shared secrets and discussed their latest adventures in depth, laughing shakily at their close escapes. It was always the same; the three lounged together, usually Zuko sitting on a rock or a log, in the middle of the two, chin in his hands, and golden eyes reflecting the light of the fire. Aang would sit across from him, soaking in the peaceful feelings that radiated from his friends, and realized he had never really felt as home as he did when they were three. Katara sat in the middle of the two, sometimes stretched out on her bedroll, other times standing and talking, animated with her hands and whole body, telling stories of her Gran-Gran and her tribe's tales. They were three, and they were happy.

But then, things changed. Somehow, Katara always ended up nearer to Zuko in their circle. It started as a simple lean of wait in the general direction of Zuko, propped on one arm, head tilted to the side to fix Aang with her blue gaze, but her body was only aware of Zuko. When he shifted, so did she.

They were small things really, small touches on the arm, or a ruffle of the hair, and a smile at random, or something said to the general three of them, but seemed to be directed solely for only one person. They were small, but they were there. One night, Katara had stretched her legs out, and Zuko, seemingly unthinkingly, lifted them into his lap, tracing his fingers over her dark ankles even as he told Aang of a finer point in Fire Bending that the young Avatar hadn't known.

The three had become two and one, overnight it seemed. But when Aang looked at their past relationship, maybe, he thought, they had always just been two and one, just not in the order he had thought.


	6. The Heart is a Heavy Burden

The Heart is a Heavy Burden

It was his old friend Dilemma calling.

Zuko wondered in the back of his mind if he could ever simply be happy without having to choose something and mess up everyone's lives in the process. He glanced at the young Avatar: lip bloodied, nose broken, left arm twisted into an odd angle.

His eyes, Zuko couldn't bare to look at them, they were still so strong and sure, confident in Zuko's good side. They were reassuring; he knew Zuko would make the right decision, and yet Zuko wasn't even sure what the right decision was.

On the other side of the hall, Katara stood silently, Mai's knife at her throat, a terrible gash across her forehead, braid chopped off.

Of course it came down to this, Zuko thought bitterly, the Avatar; who the world needed now more than ever, or Katara; the girl who he loved, who had given him everything.

"Tick-tock Zuzu, time to decide…" Azula smiled fondly down at him over her fingertips, meeting his gaze. "Oh I know," she pouted, "The heart is such a heavy burden, I can hear it getting heavier from here. Which to choose, which to choose? the girl you love or the 'happiness' of this sick, old world?"

She pushed herself from the wooden throne and walked to the edge of the raised platform. She knelt, petting his hair, and then tilted his chin up to look at her.

"If I were you, I would choose the girl, she is quite pretty, and yes, the world will burn, people will die, and innocent babes will be plucked from their mother's breasts… yadidadida, you know the how the story goes, but at least you'll be happy, hmm?" Azula whispered conspiratorially, and then laughed when he jerked his head away.

"Oh and do take your time, brother mine, I don't mind killing them both if you can't choose soon enough," She laughed again, high and cruel as Zuko stared up at her.

"Azula," he growled. "I will kill you, I swear I will."

His sister merely cocked an eyebrow, "Big words Zuko. One day I might just take you up on that promise, maybe when my soul has gotten as black as it can, but until that day, I'm going to enjoy painting it." she shrugged. "Until you are in a position to bargain, I recommend you do as you're told."

"Kill me, then." Zuko pleaded. "Kill me, spare them."

"Oh dear me, no. I have too much fun messing with your brain to stop so soon. Besides, you're my big brother," her eyes lowered and she pulled a hurt puppy expression up. "I could never hurt you, Zuzu." A smirk.

Zuko looked down at his hands, he couldn't do this; he couldn't make this decision. Above him, he heard Azula sigh.

"I grow bored with your stalling Zuko. Would you like me to choose?"

A soft sound made Zuko turn his head towards Katara, who was weeping softly. Weeping for him. He wanted to go to her, hold her, tell her it was all going to be okay; he would figure it out. "Ah, young love. Sweet, is it not Mai? Doesn't your heart just ache with hope that maybe one day you could have such a thing?"

The knife at Katara's throat pressed down minutely, and she let out a small gasp.

"Mai," Zuko whispered, "Please, don't do this,"

"Oh no, no, no, Zuko. I think you've lost the right of influence over Mai. You were the one who left her remember?" Azula examined her nails. "I'll count to ten, Zuko, and if by then you have not made your decision, I kill both."

Zuko let out a small bark of despair, hands clenching over his head.

"One…"

Zuko looked over to where Katara stood and offered her a small smile.

"Two…"

"I love you." He mouthed.

"Three…"

Her blue eyes softened despite the knife at her neck. "I know."

"Four…"

"We are meant to be together, even if we'll have to wait a little longer,"

"Five…"

"I'll wait forever," Katara reassured.

"Six…"

"Zuko, no!" Aang broke in, "The next Avatar will be born again; I'm disposable."

"Seven…"

"Aang," Katara whispered. "The world can't wait for another Avatar to mature. It needs you now."

"Eight…"

"She's right," Zuko choked on his words, but hardened his resolve. "This needs to be done,"

"Nine…"

Zuko took a shaky breath and steadied his stance, focusing his breath into a rhythmic flow. He needed to be exact in this, death instantaneous so no pain would be felt.

"Zuko, the next number is ten. Have you made your decision?"

"I have."

"Delight me then,"

Zuko extended his right arm towards Katara, feeling heat coiling through the veins in his arm as he prepared himself. Felt the heat rising from his toes, filling his body, and then a short burst of flame.

Even as the flames left his body; he felt his heart break and wished, not for the first time in his life, that he had not been cursed with one in the first place.


	7. Happy

AN: Holy baby

AN: Holy baby!Jesus, it's been a while guys, and I'm really sorry for that. Things have been pretty difficult in my home life recently, so inspiration was lacking for a good month and a half, and before that I was in Rome… the list is long. Finals are almost over (THANK GODS) and I'll be free(er?) to write more. In other news… **SPOILER FOR NYCC TRAILER** looks like there's going to be some awesome Zutaraness in the finale, and I gotta say guys, I'm physced! **END SPOILER**

And here I get to ramble about a great book series, _The Lymond Chronicals_ by Dorothy Dunnett. Read it. Now. No excuses not to, because it pwns just about every other book ever written, and it's a fantastic series. And legit, guys, I'm naming my son after the main character. That's right, my little boy, however far off in the future he may be born, is going to be named Francis. If you do decide to pick up the first book _Game of Kings_ please give it a good hundred pages. If you're not hooked by then, you can put it down, but I swear to god that last two hundred pages are the best two hundred pages ever written. Please give it a try.

And…. Now onto the story…

Disclaimer: oh please…

Happy

"So…" Katara looked up from her trunk as she placed her last, neatly folded shirt inside. Zuko was braced against the doorframe, an odd expression on his face. She watched as he looked around the strangely empty room, echoing with memories. "So," he repeated, but this time it was a statement.

"Yeah," Katara said gently as she slowly sat on the foot of her bed. Her hair was pulled back into her classic braid. She fiddled with it nervously; it made her feel so much younger than she actually was. It had been her, once maybe, when she had been a shy girl of fourteen, but it had been three years since.

Zuko caught her gaze with his own as he took a few steps into her room, unsure of himself. "I wish you wouldn't," he finally said.

Katara nodded a little. "I know, but at least last night…" she trailed off and closed her eyes as a faint blush rose to her cheeks. She felt Zuko come closer, felt his hand reach out to touch her cheek and waver just above the smooth brown skin. She reached out and guided the hand to her lips. "I will miss you," she whispered into the callused skin. "I think,"

"Me too," Zuko's voice was barely audible, and then he sank to his knees and wrapped his free arm around her waist, laying his head in her lap. "I just wish we had figured it out sooner,"

Katara gently placed the hand against her lips on her shoulder and buried her fingers in his hair. "It would only make this harder," she told him gently. She felt him shift and his hand wrapped around the back of her neck.

"Perhaps," he agreed, "I just…"

"It's okay," Katara soothed. "I'll see you again."

"Keh, yeah, when I'm fifty and old and gross. You'll wish you hadn't."

Katara snorted gently. "You've just turned twenty Zuko, I'll be back before thirty years pass."

Zuko made a disbelieving sound. "Yeah, but in the mean time you'll find a nice water tribe boy and settle down with him, then what's the hope left for me?"

Katara's hands paused in their soft rubbing of Zuko's scalp. "Zuko," she said gently. "You know that…"

"You don't have to say it," Zuko murmured, "I know, I just like to think that it could happen,"

"I wish you wouldn't," Katara closed her eyes as Zuko's thumb began to rub circles into the knots in the back of her neck. "Last night was…"

"Perfect," Zuko filled for her, hand around her waist beginning to finger the sash of her robe, "I know you… you can't change how I feel about that, about you, Katara," Zuko pressed a kiss to her thigh. "Nothing you say or do,"

"Somehow I don't doubt that," Katara shook her head with a slight smirk and looked down to find herself suddenly drowning in the intense golden gaze that had lured her in the night before. "But," she continued, finding her breath more absent than she would have liked. "you will be happy,"

"Yeah?" Zuko's tone was close to teasing, "You promise?" The hand at the back her neck gently applied pressure and Katara found herself offering little resistance as he guided her to meet his lips.

Katara sighed softly, opening her lips as Zuko gently probed with his tongue and enjoyed the gentle stroke of his tongue against her eyes. It was a sweet kiss, gently reminding her of what they had done before the sun had risen, but it was more than that. It was a promise, even though Katara realized with a lurch, she deserved no such kindness from the prince. He pulled back at last and stroked his thumb over her cheek. Katara looked away and then slowly removed herself from his grasp.

"I have to go,"

"I know…"

Katara sighed again.

"You promise?" Zuko asked suddenly, his voice weak.

Katara blinked and then hugged him tight. "Yes," she whispered, "with all my heart."


End file.
